In a shocking development, the Colorado House of Representatives began their business day Tuesday by passing a resolution to abolish the Senate.

Colorado’s new logo — subject of an April Fools’ Day prank.

Some of the rationale for the move cited in Resolution 4114 included the sentiment that the Senate “has lower approval ratings than rabies, Satan and the United States Congress,” as well as “The State Senate has 35 members, who serve for four years each, many of whom have been in elected office for a decade or more, and still can’t seem to get its act together.”

“It’s about time someone did something about that great sucking sound at the other end of the building,” said Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, in offering support for the move.

The resolution was part of a mirth-filled morning that saw the normally-august body fully embrace the spirit of April Fools’ Day. Among some of the other “pranks” conducted included turning some of the representatives’ name tags upside down, or, in the case of Majority Leader Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, D-Boulder, and Minority Leader Brian Delgrosso, R-Loveland, flip-flopping them.

The House Republicans also posted a release claiming the federal government was suing the state over its new logo, claiming it “damages the credibility of the state and could scare away future tourists.” Critics say it looks like the carbon monoxide hazardous sign.

The frivolity is likely to come to an end bright and early Wednesday morning when the House Appropriations Committee meets at 7:30 a.m. to begin parsing bills fighting for funding in the 2014-15 budget.

The decision by U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner to run for the Senate instead of re-election has set off a scramble for his seat. (Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post)

The list of GOP candidates scrambling to fill U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner’s soon-to-be vacant congressional seat is growing, with two more candidates announcing Monday they’re in.

Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer and Larimer County resident Steve Laffey join state Sen. Scott Renfoe and District Attorney Ken Buck, both of Weld County, who announced last week they’re seeking the GOP nomination in the 4th. State Reps. Frank McNulty of Highlands Ranch and Tim Dore of Elizabeth also are looking at the race.

The winner of the June 24 primary faces Democrat Vic Meyers of Trinidad.

“I got into this race because we the people of the 4th CD weren’t being represented in Congress. Gardner dropping out doesn’t change anything,” Meyers said. “Replacing him with another Tea Party radical doesn’t change anything and won’t get us representation.”

Members of the Arapahoe High School cheerleading squad leaves notes, flowers and prayers for shooting victim Claire Davis in Centennial near the school on Dec. 17, 2013. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

More questions than answers remain in the wake of last week’s shooting at Arapahoe High School. But what’s certain is that communities have come together after another shooting incident here in Colorado where crowds of individuals were targeted. Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, and Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, represent the communities directly impacted by the Arapahoe High School shooting. Both join Spot Live to discuss the incident, how the media covers it and what — if anything — could be done to prevent the tragedy.

“While we rarely haven’t always agreed with Speaker Ferrandino’s policy positions, we agree that he’s got one cute kid. He and partner, Greg Wertsch, have formally adopted the little girl, Lila Augusta, the pair had been fostering since last year. Congratulations to the family!”

State Rep. Ken Summers holds his new granddaughter, 3-week-old, Eliana Summers, on the floor of the session in 2011.

Democratic Speaker Mark Ferrandino and his predecessor, Republican Frank McNulty, are teaming up to host a fundraiser next week for former Rep. Ken Summers, who is in critical condition with West Nile caused encephalitis.

“Do you know anyone nicer than Ken Summers?” McNulty asked.

Summers, a Lakewood Republican, ran for the state Senate in 2012 but lost to Democrat Andy Kerr, who was one of the first to comment on Summers’ condition when it was announced last week:

Thoughts & prayers for my friend Ken Summers & his family as he battles for his health. He is a fighter!

As the legislative session nears its end, questions have surfaced over whether House Minority Leader Mark Waller will formally announce a run for Attorney General, and if he will step down from leadership if that happens.

Waller, a Colorado Springs Republican, has led House Republicans since the party lost its majority in the 2012 election.

Among the names floated as the likely successor to Waller are Republican Reps. Brian DelGrosso of Loveland and Libby Szabo of Arvada, say several lawmakers and Capitol lobbyists.

“Some have said it’s between Libby and DelGrosso,” said Rep. Frank McNulty, R- Highlands Ranch, who served as House Speaker after the 2010 election. “At some point if he (Waller) chooses to run for another office, then the caucus would need to choose a new leader.”

But McNulty, like many House Republicans interviewed Wednesday, including Waller, stressed that the caucus’ sole focus is on the remainder of the 2013 session, which is scheduled to end a week from today.

“I’m focused on getting through the end of the session,” Waller said. “My job is to focus on the best policy for Coloradans.”

Szabo said if Waller does run for Attorney General, “then it is widely understood he’s going to step down.”

Democrat Mark Ferrandino, with his back to the camera, pleads with Speaker Frank McNulty, a Republican, last year, after a recess stalled action on a civil unions bill, which would later die. (Karl Gehring/The Denver Post)

A floor fight late Friday in the House chamber featured Democrat Mark Ferrandino and Republican Frank McNulty, and brought up memories of last year’s civil unions battle on the second to the last night of the session.

McNulty was speaker then and refused to call up a civil unions bill for debate knowing that the sponsor, Ferrandino, the minority leader, had the votes to pass it. The bill died on the calendar that wild night, with about 30 other bills killed in friendly fire in the process.

Republicans lost the majority in the November election and Ferrandino now is the speaker.

McNulty brought up the civil unions fight when Republicans threw a fit late Friday when Democrats interrupted the debate on a marijuana tax bill so they could adjourn for the day, and reconvene after midnight so no bills would be lost. Republicans walked out in protest saying the majority party was trying to silence them — Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, was speaking at the time. McNulty stayed behind and argued the GOP case to the press table as Ferrandino shook his head in disbelief.

Here’s some of what was said.

McNulty: Democrats complained about last session. They have completely left those words hollow.

The finger pointing continued today at the Colorado legislature over a crowded and crazy workload that has lawmakers working late nights with plans to come in Saturdays if needed.

“Given how long the debate is taking, I think it is very likely we will be here on Saturday,” House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, said this afternoon.

He said he would have a better feel tonight after what is expected to be another marathon debate, this time on an elections bill that Republicans oppose.

Meanwhile, Senate Democratic leaders, President John Morse of Colorado Springs and Majority Leader Morgan Carroll of Aurora, said they won’t be working this Saturday but Morse said there’s a chance they might have to on Saturday April 27 or Saturday May 4, depending on the calender.

“It’s like the weather forecast,” Carroll joked.

The news of a Saturday session didn’t sit well with House Republicans, who claim the calendar has been mismanaged by Democrats.

“My Saturday schedule will be forced to bend to the Democrats’ ‘aggressive political agenda,'” said Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch.

“Not me, baby. I won’t yield,” said Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument. “I’m not showing up Saturday. I’m going to a town hall meeting I’ve had planned for a month.”

House Speaker Mark Ferrandino said Wednesday there is a “90 percent chance” lawmakers will have to work over the weekend to clear a backlogged calendar — but Republicans and Democrats disagree about which party is to blame.

Ferrandino, a Denver Democrat, pointed out that the House had planned to debate more than 20 bills Wednesday.

“We have been on the floor since 9 o’clock and we have passed only one bill,” Ferrandino said shortly before 4 p.m.

That’s because Republicans fought the second bill up — House Bill 1136 — for more than 5 hours, introducing around 20 amendments. Three amendments, Ferrandino noted, were virtually identical.

[media-credit name=”Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post ” align=”alignright” width=”270″][/media-credit] Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, and Pueblo County Commissioner Sal Pace, a Democrat, goof around on the side of the House floor today.

Former Minority Leader Sal Pace, now a Pueblo County commissioner, received a warm welcome when he returned to the House Wednesday to memorialize a former lawmaker.

The Democrat was known for his mostly friendly jousts with then Speaker Frank McNulty, a Highlands Ranch Republican, and the two former leaders caught up on the side of the House.

“The best part of today was hearing Frank called “Rep. McNulty,'” Pace later texted.

BAM! McNulty served as speaker until Democrats won back the majority in the November election.

McNulty’s favorite part of the election? “Getting to call Republican Scott Tipton ‘congressman’ for another two years.” BAM! Pace tried to unseat Tipton in the 3rd Congressional District, but lost. Pace later was appointed to a vacancy on the county commission.

Also in the House today was former lawmaker Abel Tapia, a Pueblo Democrat now overseeing the Colorado Lottery. He and Pace helped pay tribute to former lawmaker Bob Jackson, who represented Pueblo in the House from 1967 to 1972. Jackson, an icon in Pueblo, died last year at the age of 84.

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Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.